Sanitary toothpick dispenser



May 2', 1933. DEQEK I 1,906,550

SANITARY TOOTHPICK DISPENSER Filed June 27, 1950 IN VEN TOR. Maw/e154 D50 1.

Patented May 2, 1933 MIcnA L nnnnx, ornmenmrou, NEW. YORK ,sANIrARY; roornrro'x' D SPE ER Application filed June 27,

My invention relatesto a sanitary toothpick dispenser and has for its primary object the provision of a dispensing apparatusfor toothpicks and the like which insures the user a clean toothpick untouched'by hands other 'thaxnhisown.

. Asis well known, restaurants and other public eating places usually provide for the convenience of their patrons, a dish or glass or "other holding "device for toothpicks.

These holders are generally open and therefore,"free to collect dirt and. dust, and often fiies or other insects. This, of course,renders this method unsanitary and unhealthful. 1

T5 Furthermore, in the use ofytoothpick holders of this kind,'it is generally impossible for a person to take a toothpick therefrom with out touching several other toothpicks in the holder. 'Th'is,-of course, renders such holders not only, unsanitary, but unhealthful, and

often dangerously so for the reason that if disease germs happen-to be carried on the fingers of the user, these germs may be thus m transferred to the toothpicks left in the holder, from which they spread to the'mouthsof' subsequent users. to

In order to provide a convenientpholder for toothpicks'andat the :same time render the toothpicks taken therefrom perfectly clean and sanitary-in character, thus eliminating the danger of contamination and spread of disease, I have provided a holder which keeps the toothpicks enclosed, and therefore protected against dirt, dust, insects, etc. and which by a'si'mple operation serves to discharge a single toothpick into position for taking by the user at the center. thereof, thus eliminating the necessitylfor handling the toothpick at its endsjeven by the user [L thereof.v

7 One of the pr incipalobjects of myinvention is to provide a toothpick holder of this general character provided with means for discharging toothpicks singly upon pressure of a conveniently disposed lever.

'.Another object of my invention is to provide a novel means for feeding and discharging the'toot'hpic'ks from the holder.

' Still another and important object of my invention lies in the provision of an agita- 1930. Serial no.'4s4,'2s9. v,

tor means, for the toothpicks adjacentthe feedingpoint. I j' y A'still further object of my invention lies in the provision of a device ofthischaracter which permitsiready loading of the same with a supply of toothpicks from the usual boxes or containers, without'touching the toothpicks. 1: it A further objectofmyinvention is to providea device of this'cha'racterwhichis ex tremely simple in operationyof fewparts, easily assembled, and economical to manufacture. I 7 Other objects and advantages in details of construction will be apparent as the-descrip, tionprooeeds, reference now being had to the} figuresof the accompanying drawing forming a part of this application and where in like reference numerals indicate like parts; i i Inthe drawing o i o I Figure 1 is a side view of my invention 1 largely in section for clearnessof illustration. 1

- Figure '2is a front. view of the" device, ceri tain parts being broken awayfor clearness.

Figure 3 is across sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.;

J The reference character l-indica-tes a base of stamped metal'or a casting adapted to support thetoothpick holderLfThe holder coinprises a container formed by the side walls 2 and 3, extensionsof which may provide the le s 4-and 5 suitabIySeCu-I'edto-the base '1. Ahottom plate 6 is provided and may be 7 formed integralwit'h the sides 2 and 3. The back plate 7 may also be formed integral with the sides and bottom, asmay also the inclined front end plate 8, completing the receptacle. The sides 2 and 3 are provided adjacent their upperends With spaced guide members 9 providing a slideway for the closure meme ber 10 at thetop ofthe receptacle. This closure-10 is preferably glass and is provided adjacent its rear end with a recess llforming a finger holder by means of which the top slide may be readil removed." j 1 Supported upon the ttom plate 6 within the container, as by e the downwardly turned flanges 12 is a horizontal partition member 13 extending from "the rear Wall 7 to a point adjacent the front wall 8, the front end of the partition member 13 being bent downwardly as at 14, terminating on the bottom plate 6 closely adjacent to and just to the rear of the lower edge of the front plate 8.

The partition member 13 is provided centrally with an elongated slot 15 through which extends downwardly the restricted neck portion 16 of a follower 17 extending upwardly from the partition 15 to a point directly below the top closure member 10. Below the partition member 13, the follower material is bent as at 18 around a rod 19 and extends forwardly and upwardly as at 20, terminating in fiat engagement as at 21 with the underside of thepartition 13. At

the point where the material is turned-around the rod 19, tongues 22 are struck from the material andare bent into tight engagement with the rod 19 whereby said rod is securely held to this portion of the follower. Thus the follower is free to slide back and forth along the partition member 13 through the slot 15 therein, the portions 21 of the follower slidably engaging the underside of the partition 13 and guiding the follower in its movements. At points adjacent each end of the bent portion 18 of the follower, tongues 23 are struck downwardly to which tongues are attached at one end of coil springs 24, the opposite ends of the springs being anchored to a shaft 25 suitably supported near the front end of the holder between the sides 2 and 3. Obviously, therefore, the follower 17 is normally pulled forward by the springs 24, and by virtue of the downwardly struck tongue 23, thefollower is maintained in the position shown in Figure 1 with the portion 17 upright and the portion 21 in engagement with the underside of the partition 13.

, Freely pivoted to the rod 19 through a suitable slot cut in the follower portion 18, is a latch 26 adapted, when the follower is removed to its extreme rearward position adjacent the back plate 7, to engage through an opening 27 in said back plate 7 and engage said plate whereby to hold the follower in its rearward position for the purpose of loading as hereinafter described. By merely lifting the latch 26, the follower 17 is released to be pulled forwardly again by the springs 24. Extending downwardly just to the rear of the front plate 8 is a partition member 28 bent forwardly at its lower end as at 29 to a point directly adjacent the front plate 8. It will be noted with reference to Figure 1 that the bent portion 29 of the partition passes close to the front end of the partition member, to provide a feed path for the toothpicks 30 contained within the casing.

The portion 29 of the partition 28 is provided with a central cutout or opening 31 through which passes one end of a bifurcated spring member 32 provided with spring fingers 33 which extend through the recesses 31 out by the pusher slide 40.

and into engagement with the inclined portion '14 of the partition 13 thus lying in the path of the toothpicks 30 as they pass downwardly between the portion 29 of the parti tion 28 and the portion 14 of the partition 13. The spring clip member 32 is anchored to the partition 28 as at 34 and is provided with a third spring finger 35 disposed between the fingers 33 and bent to extend rearwardly through the recess 31 in the partition 28 into the toothpick magazine.

The base member 6 is provided with downwardly extending brackets 36 providing bearings for a shaft 37 extending across between such brackets, and secured to which shaft is an operating lever 38 extending forwardly and to one side of the wall 2 and terminating in a finger piece 39. Slidably dis posed with respect to the bottom plate 6 is a pusher 40 having one portion shown clearly in Figure 1 lying below the plate 6 and provided with a downwardly extending lug or ear 41 to which is attached one end of a coil spring 42, the opposite end being anchored to a lip 43 struck down from the bottom plate 6 near the rear of the container. Obviously, therefore, the slide 49 is normally pulled rearwardly by the spring 42. Thisslide 40 is provided intermediate its ends with an upward bend 44 passing through a slot 45 provided in the bottom plate 6. This slide is then again turned forwardly and horizontally as at 46 to slidably engage the upper surface of the bottom plate 6 and extends forwardly to a point just to the rear of the inclined portion 14 of the partition 13. The portion 46 of the slide 40 is slotted as at 47 and provided with a pin 48 adapted to be slidably engaged by the bifurcations 49 of a dog 50 freely pivoted upon the shaft 25. The dog 50 is provided with a hook portion 51 bevelled on its upper edge as at 52 and moves freely between the spring fingers 33 when turned to the right in Figure land with a shouldered portion 53 on its underside adapted to engage with the lower toothpick 30 lying in the path between the fingers 33 and the inclined portion 14 of the partition 13. v

Also secured upon the shaft 37 for turning therewith, is an arm 54 provided with a bifurcated outer end 55 for engagement with a pin 56 carried by the slide 40 whereby upon turning of the shaft 37 by the lever 38, the slide 40 will be reciprocated along the bottom member 6. It will be noted that the lower end of the inclined portion 14 of the partition 13 is provided with an opening 57 and that the lower edge of the front plate 8 is also provided with an opening 58, both of these openings being in alignment with the end of the pusher slide 40. The bottom plate 6 is provided with forward extensions in the form of curved fingers 59 in position to receive the toothpieks 30 asthey are pushed The operation of myinvention will now be described.

For loading the holder, the follower 17 is pulled rearwardly until the latch 26 passes through the opening 27. and engages the back plate 7 thus holding the follower in its rearmost position against the tension of the coil springs 24. The closure slide 10 is then removed and a box of toothpicks is discharged into the holder between the partition 28 and the follower 17. The cover 10 is then replaced and the latch 26 released to permit the follower 17 to urge the tooth icks for-,

ward against the partition 28. bviously, the lowermost toothpicks near the front end will fall in the delivery path between the spring fingers 33 the inclined portion 31 of the partition 28 and theinclined portion 14 of the partition 13, the lowermost toothpick being held against further dropping by the inwardly turned ends of the spring fin- I gers 33. When it is desired to eject a toothpick, the operator merely depresses the operating lever 38 by means of the finger piece 39, thus rotating the shaft 37 which by means of the arm 54 and pin 56 slides the pusher 40 forward against the tension of the spring 42.

This forward movement of the pusher, by virtue of the pin 48 engaging the bifurcated end 49 of the dog 50, rotates such dog on the shaft 25 and moves the hook portion 51 there-' of rearwardly between the spring fingers 33 and just back of the lowermost toothpick in the delivery passage. Upon releasing the lever 38, the spring 42 returns the pusher slide 40 rearwardly thus rocking the dog 50 again on its pivot, this .time bringing the hook portion 51 forward and pulling the lowermost toothpick from beneath the, lower ends of the'spring fingers 33, whereupon the toothpick drops down to the position shown in Figure 1, resting on the bottom plate 6 between the front plate 8 and the inclined portion 14 and in alignment with the openings 57 and 58 therein. Obviously now, the next downward pressure of the lever 38 causesthe slide 40 to move ahead and such slide pushes the toothpick outwardly onto the fingers 59 where it may be picked up by the user, between the ends thereof by virtue of thespaced fingers 59. Obviously also, this operation re- 7 ing adapted to receive toothpicks, a eeding path for said toothpicks, a portionof said path being restricted by resilient means the lower end of which normally closes said path,

and means operative to force one toothpick only at a time past said resilient means, and means operative with said forcing means for discharging a toothpick previously forced past said resilient means.

2. A toothpick dispenser comprising a casing adapted to receive'toothpicks, a feeding path for said toothpicks, a portion of said path being restricted by resilient means the lower end of which normally closes said path, said resilient means having. a spring finger extending into said casing for agitating and loosening saidtoothpicks upon each discharg. ing operation, means operative to force one toothpick only at a time past said resilient means, and means operative with' said forcing means for discharging a toothpick previously forced past said resilient means.

In testimony whereof,-I aflix my signature.

MICHAEL DEDEK.

sults in'again rocking the dog 50 rearwardly and upon the return movement of the slide 40, the dog pulls the next lower toothpick out of the passage and delivers it to the bottom plate 6 in position for the next operation of the pusher 40. I

It will be noted that each time the dog 50 pulls a toothpick from behind the spring fingers 33, such fingers will yield outwardly a sufficient distance to permit the passage of the toothpick therebeneath and upon such passage will snap back into engagement with the inclined portion 14 of the partition 13.

This snapping action "of the fingers 33 

